Angels and Demons
by xBlackxRosexRebellionx
Summary: This is a story of Sunset Park's most notorious gang leaders and the lives they lead. It follows Marco and Leon and the girls that become the center of their lives. The Vipers and the Deuces are at it again, both gang leaders gunning for each other just as hard. But how will their leading ladies influence their lives and their decisions? Will it end in blood? Marco/OC and Leon/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**** The name for this story might not seem very original but it will start to make more and more sense with each chapter you read. Lately, I've been trying to find songs that capture the themes of each chapter to incorporate into each chapter – often at the beginning of the chapter but the names of the songs I use lyrics from are always listed at the bottom of the chapter so you can scroll down and look them up to listen to them while you read if you'd like. Now, this is my first Deuces Wild story. So I'll give you that fair warning. But I always try to keep the characters as true to what they were portrayed in the movies or shows I write about and I don't really stick to the movie or show's plot points but I make my own up instead – ones that relate to the movie or show of course. I want to make my stories believable but make them my own too, not just tossing one more character into the movie and rewriting the whole movie.**

**All of that being said, this is a story about the two infamous gang leaders in Deuces Wild. This is a story about Marco and the woman he comes to love and Leon and the woman HE comes to love. It's not going to be your typical, sappy, shitty romance. I can promise you that. It's about gangs and their daily lives. It's about blood and violence and misunderstandings. It's about two couples striving to make sense of their lives and do what it takes to survive. Each chapter will be about one of the couples and the next will be about the other one. I want to keep them separate for my own reasons. But, as the title alludes to, there are very opposing forces in the story. So, now that I've rattled off the head, I'll shut up and let you read.**

_**Angels and Demons**_

**Chapter 1: Headstrong**

_Circling your_

_Circling your_  
_Circling your head, contemplating everything you ever said_  
_Now I see the truth, I got a doubt_  
_A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out, see you later_

_I see your fantasy, you wanna make it a reality paved in gold_  
_See inside, inside of our heads, yeah, well now that's over_  
_I see your motives inside, decisions to hide_

_Fuck off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_Headstrong, we're headstrong_  
_Back off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_If this is not where you belong_

_I can't give everything away, I won't give everything away_

_Conclusions manifest, your first impressions got to be your very best_  
_I see your full of shit and that's alright_  
_That's how you play, I guess you get through every night_  
_Well now that's over_

_I see your fantasy, you wanna make it a reality paved in gold_  
_See inside, inside of our heads, yeah, well now that's over_  
_I see your motives inside, decisions to hide_

_Fuck off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_Headstrong, we're headstrong_  
_Back off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_If this is not where you belong_

_I can't give everything away(this is not where you belong)_  
_I won't give everything away_

_I know, I know all about (3x)_  
_I know, I know all about your motives inside, and your decision to hide_

_Fuck off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_Headstrong, we're headstrong_  
_Back off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_If this is not where you belong_

_I can't give everything away_  
_I won't give everything away(this is not where you belong)_

_**~*Kat*~**_

_The first time she saw him was in the summer of 1958…_

Katrina Sullivan pulled the car up in front of the little house she shared with her 4 best friends – Tony Vendetti, Mark Toretto, Matthew Romanelli, and Aiden Burton. She put the car in park and climbed out, going around to the trunk to open it and start pulling the bags of groceries she'd bought out of it. She filled her arms with brown paper bags and started towards the front door.

She had to struggle to get the door open since her arms were full and she kicked the door shut behind her once she'd made it inside.

"A little fuckin' help would be nice!" she chided as she entered the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter.

All 4 boys hopped up from their seats in the living room, where they'd been gathered around to watch a baseball game on the television.

"Sorry!" Matt was quick to apologize, "We didn't hear you get back."

"Yeah well… The damn trunk was full," she informed them, "And that's about 1/3 of the bags right there. It's expensive ta keep your mouths fed all the time, ya know."

They all looked down and looked quite like scolded puppies.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, gesturing to the door and telling them, "Well, go get the rest of 'em. I've gotta start puttin' these away if you boys want lunch any time soon."

They all nodded and headed for the front door, disappearing quickly.

She shook her head but laughed. Sometimes they were clueless. Other times they were the sweetest damn men she'd ever known. So what if they had a reputation as being gangsters? That didn't bother her any. They always kept her safe, they always looked out for each other. They were like a family, a fucked up, dysfunctional, but happy family.

She started putting the groceries away and the boys set the rest of the groceries on the counter when they got back in.

After she'd finished putting things away, she washed her hands before turning to the living room, which the boys had retired to once again, and asking, "Whadda you boys want for lunch?"

"Chili!" Mark called.

"Yeah get outta here! You don't need any fuckin' chili, Markie," Aiden razzed him, "Lasagna, Kat. Fix lasagna."

"Fuck that. You should fix tacos," Tony put his opinion in.

Matt kept his mouth shut as the others all glared at him, expecting him to pick something different.

"Kat can fix whatever she wants," Matt pointed out, "It's still food and she's the one that's cookin'."

Kat grinned at that and said, "Ya know, he's got a point…"

"No!" the other 3 boys shouted in protest.

"Well I can't fix lasagna, chili, AND tacos. So you're gonna hafta figure out what it is that you boys want. And SOON. I'll start thawin' the hamburger out. All 3 of those require hamburger," she stated, going to get the hamburger out of the freezer and grabbing a skillet.

She turned on the stove and put the hamburger into the skillet, grabbing a spatula.

Matt shuffled into the kitchen and pulled the fridge open, grabbing out a bottle of beer for all 4 of the guys. He twisted the caps off and tossed them into the trash before going in to hand the other boys their beers. Then he came back into the kitchen and leaned against the counter beside Kat as she worked on frying up the meat.

"Word on the street is that Marco Vendetti is gettin' outta the pin today," Kat heard his voice rumble quietly.

"Any relation to Tone?" she questioned.

Matt nodded and answered, "Cousin."

She nodded and inquired, "What was he in for? How long was he locked up?"

Matt shrugged and replied, "Honestly? It was all a big misunderstanding. Marco's the head of a gang called the Vipers. Their rival gang here in Brooklyn is a gang called the Deuces. Leon's the head of the Deuces. Leon's older brother, Allie Boy, was a junkie. He overdosed, plain and simple. It was bound ta happen. All junkies tend ta be leadin' up ta that point. They take more and more, tryin' ta get a stronger high. But Leon swears up and down that Marco and his boys gave Allie Boy a 'hot shot' – or a bad batch. He's tryin' ta pin Allie Boy's death on Marco. Marco thinks Leon's the rat that got him thrown into the slammer 3 years ago. So you can bet your ass that Marco's gonna be gunnin' for him once he gets out. And he'll be gunnin' for him HARD. NOTHIN' stands in Marco's way. He'd kill his own mother if she tried to stand in his way."

Her brows rose but she nodded.

"And will he want you boys ta join his gang?" she asked.

Matt looked away and that was enough of an answer for her.

But, after a couple moments' worth of silence, he nodded, looking down at the floor and commenting, "Yeah. Probably."

"You boys came out here ta get AWAY from the gang life," she pointed out.

Matt shook his head and stated, "This IS gang land, Kat. Tony's dad and Marco's dad were brothers. They ran in the same gang when they were Tony and Marco's age. Marco's dad was the leader and Tony's dad was his second in command."

"So you're tellin' me that Tony drug us all the way out here ta be in ANOTHER gang?" Kat growled.

Matt shrugged his shoulders and told her, "Tony's ALWAYS known that Marco was in a gang. Hell Marco's been in a gang since he was 13 years old. He started as an errand boy and worked his way up through the ranks. Now he's the gang leader, the alpha dog. And NO one in Brooklyn has the balls to challenge him but Fritzy… And Leon. Tony came out here every other weekend and for a week every month during the summer, Kat. Where ya think he went when he was gone? This was his hometown."

Kat ignored that last part. She'd get to that later, when she could chew Tony's ass in private.

"Who the hell is Fritzy?" she questioned, breaking the meat up and stirring it around in the skillet.

"NOBODY makes a move in or near Sunset Park without Fritzy okayin' it," Matt informed her, "He keeps all the gangs under his thumb. He's not a gangster. He's the head of the mafia."

Kat cocked one dark brown brow at him and nodded before pointing at him and reminding him, "You're the one with common sense, Mattie. I can't always be here ta look out for 'em and keep 'em outta trouble. You watch out for my boys. You know I can't tell 'em not ta join that gang. I tried that the other night after Philly came in here and asked if you boys were wantin' into the Vipers and Tony jumped my ass for it. They'll do whatever the fuck they want to. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna state my opinions on the matter. As long as you boys are safe, as long as you're happy, that's all I care about."

Matt nodded and she turned to call over her shoulder, "FOOD! DECIDE NOW!"

They all called out their previous choices and she shrugged, stating, "Then I'll fix whatever the fuck I want if no one's gonna side with anyone else."

The first time she saw him was in the summer of 1958. Kat was taking her 3 year old Cane Corso out for a walk. She was just getting back to the house when she saw a baby blue and white car pull up in front of the house across the dirt road that separated the front yard and driveway of the house she shared with the boys from the one across from it.

She let the massive, black dog off his leash and took a seat on the porch, curious to see who the new neighbors were. She'd already met Philly and he seemed like an okay guy, even for a gangster. If anything, he was a big softie. He was no threat to her or her boys as far as she was concerned.

The hulking beast in front of her, perking up and looking across the street as the car doors were pushed open and a couple men climbed out.

"Stay," Kat told the dog, reaching out with both hands to scratch at his well-muscled frame, "Those are our neighbors, Diablo. And if Philly's Tony's cousin and Marco's Philly and Tony's cousin, that must mean that that's THE Marco Vendetti."

She watched as poor Philly hobbled around the car and started up the ramp towards the front door of the house he shared with Marco. The other man, standing at probably around 5'10" and having a frame that was made of lean muscle, had his dark brown hair greased back and his piercing, bright blue eyes roamed around their surroundings as he leaned against the side of the house and waited for Philly to unlock the door. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips and he was wearing a navy colored wife beater with thin straps and black jeans. He had a few tattoos here and there and there was a scar on the left side of his face, on his jaw.

That was the first time she saw Marco Vendetti.

_**-=Marco=-**_

_The first time he saw her was in the summer of 1958._

The first time Marco Vendetti saw her was in the summer of 1958. He was standing there on the porch, waiting impatiently as his cousin, Philly, fumbled with the fucking keys. He'd been waiting 3 goddamn years and Philly couldn't even get the damn key into the hole so he could get into his house?

His eyes roamed around the neighborhood, seeing if anything had changed since he'd been in the pin. And his eyes landed on a BIG change.

There was a tiny, dark-haired woman sitting on the front steps of the house right across the dirt road from his and Philly's place. There was a huge, black beast of a dog sitting in front of her and she was scratching at its short fur as the dog's amber colored eyes gazed at him and her eyes watched him.

She was tiny, delicate looking even. She had brown eyes to go with all that long, wavy, dark brown hair. Her dark, almond-shaped, exotic-looking eyes were accentuated by black eyeliner and mascara and some kind of shimmering, almost-silver eye shadow. Her lips had a light pink shade of lipstick coating them and they were full and sensual. Her nose was what most people would call a "button nose", with a slight little upturn to the end of it. She had a small chin and she had high cheekbones and slender cheeks. She wasn't like all the other women he'd seen. She stood out. And, while she might not have been flaunting her looks, she was gorgeous, easily the finest woman he'd ever seen. She was wearing a black wife beater and a pair of shorts that came halfway down her thighs, clearly made out of jeans that she'd cut short, showing off her long, slender, deeply tanned legs. She was wearing sneakers on her feet instead of heels like most women. Everything about her was different. She didn't dress or look like any other woman he'd ever seen.

She puckered her lips, making a couple kissing noises, and Marco thought that it was for him.

He smirked and called out to her, "I can think of somethin' else ta keep those pretty little lips busy, sweetheart!"

She wrinkled her nose in disgust and shook her head at him, rolling those brown eyes as she got to her feet and patted her thigh. The dog got up and followed her into the house.

"I wasn't puckerin' for you, Vendetti," she informed him before slipping into the house and out of sight.

"Who's the bitch across the street?!" Marco asked his cousin later that night while he was getting ready for his welcome home party.

Philly was out in the living room, watching the TV while Marco patted on some cologne and opened the first two buttons on his black button-up shirt to reveal his black wife beater with thin straps underneath it. He fastened the black leather band around his wrist and nodded to himself.

He heard Philly come hobbling towards his open bedroom door and he heard his cousin's voice as he looked into the mirror at his reflection.

"Her name's Katrina but they call her Kat. She's a real nice girl. She can be at least. She lives with our cousin, Tony," Philly answered.

"And why was I never informed that there was a hot little piece that moved in across the street?" Marco questioned.

Philly looked down and said, "Well I… I guess I forgot to mention it, Marco. I'm sorry."

Marco sighed, showing his annoyance, and hinted, "I guess you mentionin' the fact that Tony had moved back into Brooklyn slipped your mind too, huh?"

Philly just nodded, knowing well enough to keep his mouth shut.

"She fuckin' him?" Marco asked as slipped a cigarette between his lips and pulled out his Zippo lighter, lighting it and taking a deep drag.

"Nah, man. At least I don't think so. She lives with Tony and some of his buddies that he made when they were down in Chicago. Ya know how he stayed with his ma for a while out there and visited his pop here," Philly reminded him, "They moved here a couple weeks ago. There's 5 of 'em over there. Kat, Tony, some guy named Marky Toretto, Mattie Romanelli, and Aiden Burton," Philly told him.

"So she's livin' with 4 guys?" Marco questioned, turning around and narrowing his eyes at Philly in suspicion.

"Yeah," Philly stated, nodding.

"Well which one is she fuckin'?" Marco pressed.

"I don't think she's like that, Marco. She might flirt with 'em a little but it's all in good fun. I don't think she's the kind ta spread her legs for just anybody. The boys look out for her. She takes care of 'em. They're like a family or somethin'. She's invited me over for dinner a few times. She's a REAL good cook. But she runs the house. That's for DAMN sure," Philly informed him.

Marco's brows furrowed and he jerked his head back a little. How the fuck could a tiny girl like that run a house full of guys?

"If ya went over there ta fuckin' eat, why didn't ya ever mention it?" Marco pressed.

Philly looked down again, swallowing hard and shaking his head, "I didn't think it was that important I guess."

"Well it's fuckin' important," Marco snapped.

Philly nodded hard, replying, "Yes, Marco."

"If she's such a 'nice girl', why the fuck's she hangin' out with Tony?" Marco inquired.

"I guess they've all been friends since Tony moved out ta Chicago when he was in second grade," his cousin replied.

Marco nodded slowly, reaching up to rub at his lips with his thumb as he held his smoke between his index and middle fingers.

"So how the fuck's a tiny thing like that run a roost full of guys?" Marco questioned.

Philly chuckled and joked, "She ain't always so nice. She can be as sweet as an angel or worse than the devil himself. I heard her clear over here one night when somethin' set her off. BOY she was pissed. She was usin' every fuckin' word in the book too, Marco. And I've heard her scold the boys over there when I was there the few times I was invited over. If she doesn't approve of somethin', you can DAMN well guarantee she'll say somethin'. But she's not like the other women. She's a good cook. She patches the boys up if they get in trouble. She keeps 'em in line better than most gang leaders we've seen keep their boys in line – other than you of course, Marco. She's a real spitfire."

Marco's brows rose and his eyes widened a little at that. So she was a homemaker and a nurse, huh? But she apparently kept the boys in line too. NO woman kept a man in line. It was the MAN'S job to keep HER in line.

"You talk ta Tony and his boys about joinin' the Vipers?" Marco pressed as he stuffed his pack of smokes and his lighter into one pocket and his pocket knife into the other.

Philly nodded to him and said, "I tried. But she shut it down, said she didn't want the boys gettin' hurt."

"She WHAT?!" Marco hissed, his voice full of venom as he jerked his head around to look at his cousin.

Philly paled a little and looked down at the floor, answering, "She told me that she was gonna kick my ass out of the house if I mentioned it ta the boys again."

Marco's blood boiled. How DARE she get involved in his business? It wasn't her call what the boys did. And Marco wanted them, no he NEEDED them, in his gang. If he was going to take on the Deuces, he was going to need as many men as he could pull together. He had to get them all ready for war. Because that was where everything was heading. It was inevitable, after the fucking stunt Leon had pulled, getting him thrown into the pin.

"You're comin' with me," Marco told him.

"But, boss… The party…" Philly said, looking at him.

"The fuckin' party can wait!" Marco snapped.

Marco stormed past Philly and out of his bedroom, heading for the front door and yanking it open. He heard Philly clunking along behind him as he marched across the dirt road that separated their front yard from Tony's. He headed up the steps and pounded on the door.

He heard loud, booming barks coming from the big mutt he'd seen this morning before the door was pulled open and the tiny brunette herself stood in the door, opening it just far enough to poke her head around it and inform him, "We're eating dinner right now. Come back later, Vendetti."

"Let me in the fuckin' house," he growled at her, narrowing his blue orbs at her.

She was even prettier up close, which was unfortunate. He discovered that her eyes were the color of chocolate, and her skin was deeply tanned. He could see, now that she was standing, that her tits were large and full, her stomach slender, her hips flaring. And those long, slender but toned legs looked even better up close.

She crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts up and together in that black wife beater she was wearing. His eyes feasted on the sight of all that cleavage and she cleared her throat, drawing his eyes back up to her face.

"If that's the fuckin' attitude you're gonna take with me then you won't be gettin' in at all," she countered.

"The fuck I won't!" he barked.

He heard a snarl from inside the house and knew that he'd just angered her guard dog.

"Kat, he's with me," Marco heard Philly tell the tiny woman.

She moved a little to look around Marco to find Philly standing on the step behind him.

"Philly, you could've called if you wanted ta come over for dinner, ya know," she pointed out before sighing and stating, "All right. I suppose you two can come in. But if ya don't fuckin' respect me and my boys, you're out on your asses."

She turned to head further into the house and Marco pushed the door open as she called the dog away from the door and into the kitchen. Marco followed after her, leaving Philly to close the front door behind them.

"Who the fuck ya think you are, talkin' ta me like that?" Marco snapped at the little dark-haired bitch as he entered the kitchen and found her standing at the stove, dishing up a plate for him and one for Philly.

He looked around the table and found Tony and a couple other guys sitting at it while the fourth man sat on the kitchen counter. It should've been HER sitting on the counter, not one of the men. The bitch CLEARLY didn't know her place. But he could teach it to her REAL quick.

"Tone, you're REALLY gonna hafta teach your cousin the definition of the word 'respect' or I will," the mouthy little brunette told Marco's cousin.

Tony was quick to get out of his seat and head over to Marco.

He embraced him in a tight hug, clapping him on the back, and said, "Good ta see ya, man. Didn't know when you'd be gettin' out but we all heard it would be sometime soon. Word spreads fast in Brooklyn, ya know. Figured you'd give me a heads up when ya got in."

"Your bitch saw me 'get in' this morning," Marco informed him.

Marco heard the tiny woman slap the dish towel down on the counter and watched as she whirled around to face him, giving him the fiercest glare he'd EVER seen. Hell ANY other man would've cowered at the deadly expression on her face. But not Marco. He just glared right back at her.

"Let's get one thing straight RIGHT now, Vendetti," she snarled, "When you're in MY house, you fuckin' respect me or you'll get shoved RIGHT back out that goddamn door. And I'm not A bitch. I'm THE BITCH and it had BEST be in all capitals."

Philly lowered his head and took the seat she offered him at the table, taking her own plate over to stand at the counter beside the guy that was already sitting on the counter. No one ate. No one said a word. They just stared between Marco and the bitch, back and forth.

Marco chose to completely ignore her, turning his attention to Tony and stating in a matter-of-fact tone, "You and your boys are comin' out ta my welcome home party tonight. Finish your food and let's go."

Tony was quick to push his half-empty plate away from himself and get to his feet.

"Sit," the brunette told his cousin in a calm tone, "Eat."

"But-," Tony started to say.

"SIT!" she ordered.

Tony looked down at his plate and sat back down, tucking back into his food.

"That goes for the rest of you too," she informed the group, "You can go AFTER you've filled your stomachs."

She looked at Marco as he stared at her in disbelief, his jaw clenching and his nostrils flaring in anger. How fucking DARE she challenge his authority? And how the fuck could they let that tiny little thing boss them around? Didn't they have any fucking balls?

She pointed at him and informed him, "If my boys get hurt, in ANY way, shape, or form, it's YOUR ass, Vendetti. I'll take it out on the people that did it and then I'm comin' after YOU for lettin' 'em get hurt in the first place. Is that understood? This is MY family, not yours. I'm not stupid. I know ALL about guys like you. You use other people ta get what you want, hell and be damned with anyone but yourself. For every broken bone, every bruise, every KNICK on them, I'm gonna give you one. And don't you think for even a SECOND that I won't deliver on that threat. Because it's not just a threat, Vendetti. It's a PROMISE."

Marco's hands balled into fists before loosening. He drew in a few deep breaths through his nose and blew them back out the same way. She had just threatened him. She'd just fucking THREATENED him.

He stalked right over to her and towered over her, pinning her tiny body between him and the counter as he glared down at her.

"You EVER threaten me again and I'll fuckin' kill ya. Is that understood?" he sneered into her face.

"I understand that you can go fuck yourself," she replied in a casual tone.

"Kat!" Tony scolded, "Go to your room! Now!"

Marco heard the pleading tone to his cousin's voice and knew that he was genuinely trying to look out for the bitch's best interest. But that didn't stop Marco from bringing his hand up and across the bitch's face. Her head jerked to the side and he heard the loud, satisfying WHACK. He'd cracked her a good one. His hand even stung a little. And the mark was turning red already, showing off the palm and fingers of his hand.

She didn't bring her hand up to the wound. She just nodded, seemingly bored, as she took another bite of her spaghetti. She eased the fork out of her mouth and, quicker than he could realize what was taking place, she'd embedded the tines into his arm since he had both hands braced on the counter on either side of her to keep her pinned between him and the counter.

Marco howled in pain and jerked the fork out of his arm, growling viciously, "You fuckin' BITCH! I'm gonna KILL you!"

She just narrowed her eyes into little slits at him and he noticed how red the mark on her face was. But she didn't tear her eyes away from him as she picked her plate up and headed over to grab a clean fork out of the drawer. She took the seat Tony had vacated and she dug into her food again, glaring at Marco all the while. He found that Tony and his boys were glaring at him too, their fists clenching and loosening. But Marco knew that neither Tony nor his boys would DARE mess with him.

"Crazy fuckin' BITCH!" Marco cursed, pressing at the wounds in his arm.

It wasn't bleeding nearly as badly as he thought it would. He was more pissed off than anything.

"Kat, you need ta clean his wounds," Tony tried to reason with her.

"I don't hafta do SHIT," she answered, her eyes still not leaving Marco's face, "He's YOUR guest. YOU take care of him."

Marco's chest was rising and falling rapidly, breathing in and out through his nose as his blood boiled and his heart raced. He'd never been more pissed off in his life. He knew he had to get the fuck out of there before he killed the crazy bitch.

He glared at Tony and then snapped, "I want you and your boys at that fuckin' party tonight. I mean it. If you're not there, you're never gonna make it into the Vipers. And if you're not with the Vipers, you're AGAINST the Vipers."

He knew Tony would know what that meant.

With that, he stormed out of the house and back towards the house he shared with Philly.

She'd stabbed him. She'd fucking STABBED him! And with a fucking FORK! He snarled as he stomped through the house and into the bathroom, tugging the buttons of his shirt open and sliding his shirt off to take a look at the 4 little puncture wounds in his bicep. If he hadn't been wearing that shirt, the tines would've dug deeper into his skin. He growled in anger and slammed his fist into the glass of the mirror there in the bathroom.

One way or another, that bitch was going to learn. NOBODY fucked with Marco Vendetti and got away with it.

Marco walked into the club that his welcome home party was supposed to be held in. The party was already in full-swing. It didn't matter that the guest of honor hadn't shown up yet. The boys were already playing pool, playing poker, or dancing with some of the girls. There were plenty of Velvets there at the party. He saw Annie, Esther, Wendy, Brenda, and Mary Ann. There were a couple new girls too, one a freckled redhead and the other a young, naïve looking dishwater blonde.

"Hey," Marco said, patting Vinnie's chest when he made it to the table where some of the boys were playing poker, "Who's the new pussy?"

Vinnie chuckled and said, "Blonde's name is Julie but everyone calls her Jules. She just turned 18 yesterday. So she's just BARELY legal, boss. The redhead's name is Kitty. But that Kitty's got CLAWS. Should've seen Dom's back the other night after he got done with her."

Marco's brows rose as he looked over at Dom, who just nodded in confirmation.

"Gonna have scratches for at least a fuckin' week," Dom muttered around his cigarette.

Dom's younger brother, Chaz or "Chazzie Boy", was sitting at the table too. The three men laid their cards down and Vinnie won, which wasn't surprising. The slimy little fuck was always cheating. It was no new news. He had a tendency of drawing from the bottom of the deck.

Dom glared at Vinnie and tossed his money at him, getting up from the table and going to grab a beer.

Marco felt a little hand gently brush over the long sleeve of his shirt and looked down to see the newbie they called Jules looking up at him with big, green eyes.

She offered him a beer with her other hand and gave him a bright smile.

"Welcome back, Marco," she said, her voice soft and quiet.

He just smirked down at her and replied, "I've been told it was your birthday yesterday."

She just nodded and reached up to push a strand of her chin length, dishwater blonde hair behind her ear, giving him a shy smile. It fell in wild banana curls around her pretty little face, accenting her delicate features. Yeah. There was NO way in hell this girl could handle him. He'd been in the pin for 3 fucking years. He'd break her. He needed a more seasoned Velvet tonight. Hell, probably for the next 3 weeks to be honest. And he was Marco fucking Vendetti. He could have any woman he wanted.

"Go on, hone," Mary Ann told her, "I've got this one."

She smiled up at Marco as the little blonde looked down at the floor and nodded before walking away quickly. She'd catch hell for that for sure. The Velvets had to prove themselves to the Vipers just like the newbie Vipers had to prove themselves to the Velvets. They each had their leaders to impress and prove themselves to.

"Gonna hafta get that girl's confidence up, Mary," Marco told the blonde standing before him as he tipped his beer back, "She's a sexy little piece but she'd never be able ta handle any of the boys around here."

Mary Ann nodded and replied, "She'll get there someday. Annie says she sees potential in the girl. If ya want a new one tonight, I'd go for Kitty. She's movin' up in the ranks pretty quick. She's a real thrill according ta the men. But I already know how ya like it, Marco. Why don't ya take me home tonight?"

She ran her hands up his chest over his shirt and he gazed down at her with those intense, blue orbs.

Marco heard the door open and watched as Tony and his boys came into the club, the fucking bitch walking ahead of them instead of behind them where she belonged. Better yet, she ought to be at home, leaving him the fuck alone.

Tony, his boys, and the bitch headed over to Marco and Marco slapped Mary Ann on the ass, telling her, "Go on. Get outta here. I'll letcha know if I wanna take ya home tonight."

She nodded and headed off to the few Velvets that weren't already occupied.

"See ya brought your bitch with ya," Marco told his cousin.

"She's yours, Tony?" Vinnie questioned even as Chazzie Boy looked up at her too, their eyes roaming over her tiny body.

She'd pulled on a pair of skintight, dark denim jeans but left her sneakers and black wife beater on. It showed off those big tits – probably a 36DD – and her tiny waist. Her hips had a sexy flare to them and he wished she'd turn around so that he could check out her ass. He hadn't seen the back side of her for very long yet. But those long, slender legs were certainly alluring. He liked them better in shorts. But he'd liked them even BETTER if they were wrapped around his waist.

"Nah. She's not mine," Tony answered Vinnie's question, "She lives with me and my boys, looks after us and stuff."

The tiny brunette rolled her eyes and stated, "If you weren't all such big pains in the asses, I wouldn't HAFTA look after ya."

"Well if she ain't yours, can I have her?" Vinnie inquired, looking at first Tony and then the brunette.

She jerked her head back in surprise and then glared at him, snapping, "You most certainly cannot! I'm not a fuckin' toy you boys can pass around and play with. I'm a human being with thoughts and feelings. And right now, I feel like I don't like you very much."

Vinnie's dark brows rose sky high and Marco reached up to rub at his lips to hide the amused smirk that was curling at his lips.

"I never said you were a toy," Vinnie said, clearly not quite sure what to say to the feisty little hellcat.

"Well I'm not a whore either. You boys might be used ta women caterin' to your every fuckin' need and spreadin' their fuckin' legs wide any time ya want it but I'm not one of them. I'm not a fuckin' whore and I'm not a fuckin' maid. Vendetti found that out tonight, didn't ya?" she sneered, smirking up at Marco.

Marco shot her a harsh glare and all the boys froze. The club went completely silent, except for the music that was playing on the jukebox, and everyone held their breath as they waited for Marco's response.

"If she wasn't with you, Tony, she'd be pickin' her ass up off the floor right now," Marco snarled at his cousin.

"Kat, go grab us a beer," he heard Tony tell the girl before adding a quiet, "Please."

Kat glared at him first and then Marco. Tony pointed out where the booze was and she went to go fetch the boys a drink.

But she cast back over her shoulder, "I'm not doin' it for Vendetti's sake. I'm doin' it for yours, Tone."

Marco watched as Tony shook his head and sighed.

"She always like that?" Vinnie questioned.

"Yeah," Marco answered before his cousin could.

"She a good fuck?" Vinnie pressed, clearly curious about the new piece that they'd just discovered existed.

Tony just gave a single snort of laughter and took a seat, answering, "She's still a virgin."

"WHAT?!" Marco, Vinnie, and Chaz all cried at the same time.

Tony and his boys nodded and Matt piped up to say, "She doesn't get close to anyone but us. She distances herself from others and she keeps her walls up."

"Why?" Vinnie asked.

"Because," they heard a female voice snap sharply as Kat returned and handed Tony, Matt, Mark, and Aiden a beer.

She frowned and said, "You pricks don't have anything good for a girl ta drink around here."

"I'll see if I can find somethin' for ya," Marco heard Philly tell the brunette, nodding to Marco to let him know that he'd keep her busy.

"So why's the bitch distance herself from everyone?" Marco questioned as Philly guided her over towards the bar.

"She's got her reasons," was all Aiden said as he looked at Marco.

Marco looked into the man's blue-gray eyes, taking in the shaggy, dirty blonde hair. He was probably 6'1" and he had a muscular frame and facial hair. Matt had light brown hair that he'd slicked back and hazel eyes. He was lanky while Aiden was lean and he stood at around 5'11", just an inch taller than Marco. Mark was tall and rippling with muscle. He was probably a good 6'3" and he had tattoos here and there. He had his light brown hair greased up but it was spiked messily. And Tony looked a hell of a lot like Marco, the same crystal blue eyes and dark brown hair, the same lean but hard frame. But Tony kept his hair down to his chin and left it shaggy instead of slicking it back. Tony and his boys CLEARLY liked to go against the fashion trend the men there in Sunset Park had.

"Forget about her," Marco told them, "You wanna run with me and my boys or not? It's a yes or no question. If you're with the Vipers, then you're WITH the Vipers. If you're not, you're against us. And anyone that's against us is fair game. You know that, Tony."

Tony nodded eagerly and replied, "Yeah. We want in. I talked ta the boys here last night and we decided that we all wanna join the Vipers."

Marco nodded. Good. He'd need more men to take on the fucking Deuces.

"Good. But you boys still hafta pass inspection too. That means an initiation. For ALL of ya," he pointed out.

They just nodded.

"You boys want in, you're gonna hafta start listenin' ta what I say, not that fuckin' she-devil over there," Marco told them, jabbing a thumb in the direction of Kat, who was sitting over at the bar with Philly, laughing at some stupid joke he must've cracked.

Marco's jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes as he watched the two for a couple moments. He didn't know why but he had the sudden urge to throw a fucking bottle at Philly's head for making her laugh like that, for making her smile. The big oaf was grinning from ear to ear as she sipped on whatever fruity drink he'd made for her. They were chatting away and, while Marco wasn't a chatty one himself, he still didn't want her talking to Philly like that, laughing and smiling and getting along with him so fucking well. He'd never been jealous of Philly a GODDAMN day of his life. But, by damn, he was tonight.

He shook his head hard at himself and returned his attention back to Tony and his boys. Marco didn't GET jealous. Not EVER. He wasn't jealous. He was just… really pissed off.

"If you boys pass your initiation next weekend, you're in. And if you're in, we're all gettin' shaped up, ready ta fuckin' rumble. Ya got me? There's a fuckin' war brewin' between the Vipers and those fuckin' Deuces," he spat.

The boys nodded to him and Marco nodded in return, commenting, "Good. Now get the fuck outta my sight. I've got shit ta do and it's not sittin' around here and pissin' around with you boys. Beat it."

They all nodded and headed away, leaving Marco sitting at the table with Vinnie and Chaz.

"You two keep a fuckin' eye on the newbies for me. Tony will make it. Fighting's in his blood. His pop and mine were in the same fuckin' gang when they were our age. It's the others I'm not sure about. Don't know 'em for shit," Marco told his boys, standing and patting Vinnie on the back.

Vinnie just nodded to him and said, "You got it, boss."

Marco watched the tiny brunette interacting with his cousin, his anger steadily rising.

"If you're not gonna have a go at Kat, can I?" his second in command questioned.

Marco glared at him and snapped, "NO. You and the rest of the fuckin' boys aren't ta fuckin' TOUCH her. Ya got it? Not even a hair on her head. And you tell fuckin' Jimmy Pockets, wherever the fuck he's at, that that goes for him too. Fuckin' junkie. Always high as a fuckin' kite and babblin' about some stupid shit. Tell him when ya see him that I wanna fuckin' talk to him. He missed my fuckin' welcome home party. The fuckin' little prick. Apparently his fuckin' heroin was more important than my fuckin' party. He's gonna get his ass kicked for that."

"Sure thing, boss," Vinnie was quick to reply, "I'll spread the word. Kat's off-limits."

Marco nodded to him and patted his cheek a littler harsher than necessary before heading for the bar.

He shot Philly a dirty look on the way over and Philly paled visibly, nodding and taking off in the opposite direction.

Marco saw Kat's dark eyes following the startled Philly, her dark brows wrinkling in confusion.

He took a seat beside her and asked, "He fix ya a fruity fuckin' drink?"

She heaved a sigh, facing forward instead of turning around completely to face him. She lifted her drink up to her lips, taking a long pull from the glass but swallowing it down slowly. Marco found himself watching her throat work as she swallowed, licking his lips and bringing one hand up to rub at his lips with his index and middle fingers.

"Why the fuck do you even bother?" she questioned, "You know as well as I do that this whole thing is pointless. You're not gettin' between my thighs, Vendetti. Not now, not ever. And NO amount of alcohol is gonna change that. So why are you even here?"

"What? I can't enjoy the company of a beautiful lady?" he taunted.

She gave a single little feminine snort of laughter and said, "I'm no fuckin' lady, Vendetti. FAR from it. I'm not ANYTHING like all your little fuckin' whores in here. I don't sleep around. I cuss like a fuckin' sailor. I crack just as many dirty jokes as the guys. I'm essentially just a man in a woman's body. One who just so happens ta like cock instead of pussy."

He couldn't help but laugh at that. She was right about one thing. She wasn't a fucking lady. Not with that mouth she wasn't.

"Little birdy told me ya still have your V-card," he hinted.

She glared over at him and snapped, "It's a personal choice. And my sex life is none of your goddamn business."

He smirked at her and asked, "Well… How do ya know ya like cock if you've never had one?"

She rolled her eyes and he reached out to grip her chin in his hand, his grip firm and his eyes as hard as stone as he glared at her.

"Don't you EVER fuckin' roll those eyes at me again," he snarled, his face so close to hers their noses almost brushed against each other.

"Or what, Vendetti?" she retorted, "You gonna slap me again? Go ahead and fuckin' try. Next time it won't be a fuckin' fork."

His eyes widened and she slapped his hand away, muttering, "Like I said. I know your type. Ya always get what ya want. Well ya can't have me, Vendetti. And you thinkin' that you can just TAKE what ya want? NOT gonna end well for you. So I wouldn't advise it. Why don't ya go on home with one of your little whores? There are plenty ta choose from and I'm sure they'd all fight ta the death for fucking Vendetti's cock."

He just glared at her.

"Someday, you're gonna wish you'd been nice ta me, ya cold-hearted bitch," he sneered, leaning closer to her ear.

"It'll be a cold day in hell when that happens, Vendetti," she countered, "And I'm not cold-hearted. I'm just plain heartless."

He snarled and got up from his seat, stalking over to Mary Ann and grabbing her by the wrist, dragging her down the hall towards the room at the back of the club where the boys took their "toys" for a quick fuck. By damn he wanted pussy. And if he couldn't have the one he wanted, he'd have a different one instead while he thought about the one he wanted.

When Marco came back out of the room, Mary Ann could barely even walk. She was staggering slightly in her heels, her legs shaking and her breathing still not quite even yet. She brought a hand up into her mussed hair to try to straighten it out a bit and Marco smirked. He'd really done a number on her. She'd be lucky if she could even sit down for the rest of the night or even tomorrow for that matter.

Once they made it down the hall and back out to the main room, Marco headed over to Vinnie and the boys that were gathered around the pool table.

Vinnie and the boys all grinned wolfishly, practically cackling as they saw the state Mary Ann was in. And she was one of the SEASONED Velvets. There was no WAY the new girl could've handled him and Marco knew it.

"Jesus, Marco!" Vinnie wheezed, "She even gonna be able ta sit down tomorrow?"

"Probably not," Marco answered, smirking as he pulled a cigarette out of his pack with his lips and stuffed the pack back into his pocket.

He pulled his lighter out next and lit the smoke before cramming it back into the same pocket and taking a long drag, reaching up to ease it out of his mouth with his fingers.

"Been in the pin for 3 fuckin' years. What'd ya think I was gonna be like?" he questioned, "I fucked a whore every night before I went in there and you expect me ta fuckin' go easy on her?"

"Bet she fuckin' screamed," Dom commented, waggling his brows at him.

"You bet your ass she did," Marco replied.

All the boys howled with laughter and Marco's eyes roamed around the club.

He saw Tony and Mark but Matt and Aiden were gone. And so was Kat.

He headed right over to Tony and asked, "Where the fuck the other two go?"

Tony turned around to face him and answered, "Matt went home early, said he'd had a long day and he was gonna crash. He said ta tell ya it was a great party though. And Aiden went home with… Kitty I think it was?"

Marco's eyes widened. He hoped the fucker knew what he was getting into with that one. Marco hadn't fucked her himself yet but, from what he heard, she was a crazy bitch.

"And Kat?" Marco questioned.

"Said she was gonna walk home," Tony replied, "I tried ta talk her out of it and thought I'd succeeded but, when I turned around from sinkin' a couple shots of pool, she was gone."

Marco growled and reached up to slap his cousin upside the back of his head, snarling, "Ya fuckin' idiot! Since I'm out of the pin, Leon and his boys are gonna be gunnin' for the Vipers, for anyone ASSOCIATED with the Vipers. Ya really think she's safe out there? Jesus fuckin' CHRIST, Tony!"

Tony's brows wrinkled and he knew why. Marco didn't give a shit about ANYONE'S safety but his own. But the thought of something happening to the feisty little brunette made his stomach churn. She was gorgeous, prettier than any woman he'd ever seen. And, while she was a little hellcat, she wasn't invincible. With Leon and his boys always on the lookout for Marco and his boys, Marco didn't want them getting smart and connecting her with Tony or the Vipers in any way. Nor did he want some guy to try to get the jump on her in the middle of the night. So it looked like he only had one option.

"How long ago did she leave?" Marco demanded to know.

"Right before you came out of the back room," Philly answered for his other cousin.

Marco pointed at first Tony and then Philly before snarling, "You two are fuckin' stupid. This shit ever happens again and it's your asses. Ya fuckin' walk her home next time. Got me?"

They both nodded, clearly not wanting to piss him off any further than they already had.

Marco gave a huff and headed for the door, throwing it open and stepping out into the night. He walked at a fast pace, sticking to the main streets since he knew she'd be smart enough not to take the alleyways. He caught up to her a couple blocks down, jogging to catch up to her once he saw her tiny frame come into view.

He reached out to wrap his hand around her upper arm and she whirled around, bringing one of her tiny fists up into his jaw. He staggered backwards, his hand slipping away from her as he brought his other hand up to his face, pressing it to his sore jaw even as he worked his jaw to make sure she hadn't fucking dislocated it. He'd give the little brunette one thing: she sure as hell knew how to throw a fucking punch.

"Jesus fuckin' CHRIST!" he roared.

"What the fuck ya think you're doin'?!" she shouted right back, "Didn't anyone ever tell ya not ta grab a girl when she's walkin' alone at night?"

"Didn't anyone ever tell ya not ta hit gang leaders?" he mumbled, rubbing at his aching jaw.

Scratch that. She REALLY knew how to throw a fucking punch. He worked his jaw back and forth, up and down, before finally deciding that she hadn't dislocated it.

"Well, if ya hadn't been stupid and tried ta sneak up on me, ya wouldn't have gotten your ass decked," she retorted.

"Well, if YOU hadn't been stupid and tried ta fuckin' walk home by yourself, I wouldn't have come after ya, ya moody bitch," he pointed out.

She cocked one dark brow at him and asked, "Oh I'M the moody one?"

He just nodded in response.

She nodded and said, "Okay. Because you're just SO fuckin' peachy, Vendetti."

He growled at her and his temper got the best of him before he realized what he was doing. He raised a hand and she tipped her chin up, staring right into his eyes, chocolate meeting crystal blue.

"Go ahead," she said, her voice hard but even, "Fuckin' do it. Ya think it'll make ya more of a man? It'll just make you out ta be an ass."

He let his arm fall to his side and he gave her a harsh glare.

"Fuck it. Wasn't worth it anyway," he huffed, turning his back to her and starting back towards the club.

"What wasn't worth it?" she asked him.

He froze mid-step. He hadn't been anticipating that question.

"Seein' ya home," he answered.

"And why would a big, bad gang leader wanna do that?" she inquired.

"No fuckin' reason," he snapped, his patience with her wearing VERY thin.

Fuck her and her stupid fucking questions.

"Who's the cold-hearted one now, Marco?" she asked.

It was the first time she'd let his first name slip past her lips. He slowly turned to face her, finding her watching him with her arms wrapped around herself.

He stole a glance at her and she shook her head, rubbing her arms with her tiny hands and turning to continue on her way. And Marco couldn't fight the pull that tugged at him, forcing him to turn around and follow after her.

"Should've worn a fuckin' jacket," he grumbled at her.

"Well I don't see you offerin' me your shirt, so I guess I'll just hafta deal with it, won't I?" she snapped back at him.

The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. Marco Vendetti wasn't the kind to take off his jacket or his shirt and offer it to a woman. That shit was for pussies. It was pathetic, sappy, a sign that a man was at least SLIGHTLY interested in the girl's well-being.

He sighed and reached down for the buttons on his shirt. It was better than her fucking freezing though. She was shivering slightly, goose bumps breaking out on her skin.

He slid the shirt down his arms and held it out, telling her, "Here. Fuckin' take it."

She froze, slowly turning around to face him. Her dark eyes narrowed a little as she eyed the shirt he was offering her. She reached out to snatch it out of his hands before he could change his mind and stuffed her arms into it. It was huge on her tiny frame. She was probably only 5'0" but he was 5'10". She was petite, except for those luscious curves and he was built with lean muscle. It hung loosely from her tiny frame and she wrapped her arms around herself to hold it tight to her body.

"Guess this means you're not heartless after all," she joked.

But he was quick to shut her down, snapping, "Doesn't mean a FUCKIN' thing."

"Good!" she replied, "'Cause I don't WANT it ta mean a fuckin' thing."

But he could've sworn there was a slight huff to the first part.

"I see now why you're still a fuckin' virgin," he retorted, knowing that it would piss her off and get under her skin.

He could handle her pissed off better than he could handle her trying to assume that he cared about her, even in the SLIGHTEST little way.

She picked up her pace, snarling, "Ya don't know a GODDAMN thing about me so quit fuckin' actin' like ya do. I'm a virgin because I CHOOSE ta be, Vendetti. A man like you would NEVER understand that."

"Whassa matter? Daddy touch ya or somethin'?" he taunted.

He saw her whole body stiffen before she turned to face him, her face filled with so much hatred, so much anger. But there was something else in her eyes… pain. She brought her fist back and slammed it right into his nose before hurrying inside the house and slamming the door shut behind her.

Hell he hadn't even realized they'd made it back to her place. He sighed, feeling the blood running down his face. She'd drawn his blood TWICE that night. And he knew she'd broken his fucking nose this time. But she'd taken his shirt too.

Almost as if realizing it, the door opened and his shirt was thrown at him before it slammed shut again. But Marco found himself almost wondering why she hadn't kept it as he tipped his head back, one hand clutching at his nose as the blood poured from it, and his other holding his shirt. He made his way into the house he shared with Philly and headed into the bathroom. He had to reset his broken nose and take a shower to get the blood off of him.

But now he knew… He knew why she was still a virgin… That was why she was the hardened bitch she'd become… And yet, despite it all, he was still intrigued by her. He still wanted to know everything there was to know about the tiny brunette. Because NO one challenged him and got under his skin like she did, not even Leon Anthony and the fucking Deuces. The little hellcat didn't know what she was getting herself into. But he was going to make her his, one way or another.

**Lyrics From:**

_Headstrong _by Trapt

**Well… What did you think? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Let me know. Shoot me a message or submit a review with all your thoughts and I'll love ya forever. The next chapter will be about Leon and another OC. I'm gonna be switching back and forth between Marco and Kat's perspective and Leon and Bella's perspective, to give both sides an equal amount of playing time in this story.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Drive

**Author's Note:**** Well, here's the second chapter. This chapter is from Leon and Bella's perspectives. Just like with Kat, you'll get more info on Bella as time goes on. Honestly, there's not a whole lot to say about it other than it covers how Leon and Bella meet and follows them throughout the day. So, I'll shut up and let you read it…**

**Chapter 2: Drive**

_Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear_  
_And I can't help but ask myself how much_  
_I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer._  
_It's driven me before, and it seems to have a vague,_  
_Haunting mass appeal._  
_But lately I'm beginning to find that I_  
_Should be the one behind the wheel._

_Whatever tomorrow brings,_  
_I'll be there with open arms and open eyes, Yeah_  
_Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there... I'll be there._

_So, if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive_  
_Will I choose water over wine and hold my own and drive?_  
_Aah-ah-oo-o-o._

_It's driven me before and it seems to be the way_  
_That everyone else gets around._  
_But lately I'm beginning to find that when_  
_I drive myself my light is found._

_Whatever tomorrow brings,_  
_I'll be there with open arms and open eyes, Yeahhh_  
_Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there... I'll be there._

_Would you choose water over wine... hold the wheel and drive?_

_Whatever tomorrow brings,_  
_I'll be there with open arms and open eyes, Yeah_  
_Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there... I'll be there._  
_Do do do do do do do do do do do_  
_Ohh wa oh_

_Do do do do do_  
_Do do do do do do do do do do do_  
_Ohh wa oh wa oh wa oh wa oh_

_**-=Leon=-**_

_He'd never forget those eyes._

It was the summer of 1958 when Leon Anthony met her. He saw the brunette coming up the stairs with a big box in her hands. She headed over to the door of the apartment right next to the one he, his mother, and his little brother, Bobby, lived in.

She tried to balance the box on her knee, resting it against the door as she fumbled with the doorknob, trying to get the front door open.

Leon rushed right over to gently ease the box out of her arms.

"Here," he said, "Let me help."

She gave him a dazzling smile and nodded to him, replying, "Thank you."

She finally got the door open and he carried the box into the apartment, asking, "Where do you want this?"

She just pointed over to one corner of the front room and he headed over to set the box down on the floor. He stood straight and found that there was already quite a collection of boxes sitting around on the floor and that the apartment seemed to have furniture in it already. He'd wondered who was moving in next door to the apartment he and his family lived in.

He looked around the place a bit before questioning, "So did you move here with your parents?"

She just shook her head and answered, "No."

His brows furrowed and he hinted, "Well you had to move here with SOMEONE."

She cocked her head to one side and studied him for a couple minutes before stating, "No. I moved here by myself."

His brows furrowed again and he asked, "You moved ta Brooklyn by YOURSELF?"

She nodded and his brows hiked up his forehead.

How naïve was this girl to think that she'd really be safe living there in Sunset Park by herself? Didn't she know ANYTHING about Vipers? Didn't she know that there would be a bloody brawl between the Vipers and the Deuces when Marco Vendetti got out of the pin? While the Deuces were good boys and he knew that he'd never have to worry about any of his boys trying to pressure a woman into doing anything or trying to take what wasn't willingly offered, the Vipers were another matter entirely.

"What?" she questioned, frowning at the shocked expression on his face.

"A woman livin' alone in this part of the city isn't exactly safe," he commented truthfully, "Just because it's called 'Sunset Park' doesn't mean it's all smiles and chuckles."

It was HER turn to furrow those chocolate-colored brows as she gazed at him.

"Well why wouldn't I be safe?" she inquired.

He shook his head, giving a laugh that lacked any humor, and told her, "You really don't know ANYTHING about the neighborhood you just moved into. It's a damn good thing you didn't move in on the other side of the neighborhood. There are two gangs here in town, the Deuces and the Vipers. The Deuces keep to this side of the neighborhood. They don't go past 59th Street. The Vipers own everything from 60th Street clear to the other end of the neighborhood. The Deuces keep this side of Sunset Park safe. They keep the drugs off the street and they try to keep the neighborhood as cozy of a place as they can. But the Vipers are another matter ENTIRELY. The Vipers deal junk. They tear into anyone that crosses them. They don't care about keeping their side of the neighborhood safe. Women aren't safe as long as they're around. And even the children aren't safe if they piss a Viper off."

Her eyes grew wider and wider as he cleared things up for her a bit. She frowned when he was done talking.

She would've been irresistible to Marco or any of his boys. All that long, wavy, chocolate-colored hair and those eyes to match? He'd never forget those eyes. They were the color of chocolate, warm and bright and full of life. They were rimmed with long, thick, dark lashes. Her skin was of a medium tone and she had a cute nose. Her lips were full and sensual, her chin small. Her cheeks were slender and she had her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, held up by a light blue ribbon to match her t-shirt and her capris. She was probably about 5'5", slender in the waist but having what he guessed would've been a 28C in the chest department. Her hips flared nicely and she had slender, toned legs that went on for miles. And he was guessing she had a nice ass to go with the rest of that stunning body. Yeah. She DEFINITELY wasn't safe to be out and about on her own there in Sunset Park.

"A girl like you would NEVER be safe walkin' the streets alone," Leon stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she questioned.

"You'd be downright irresistible to Marco or any of his boys. And Vipers tend to take what they want if it's not offered willingly," he hinted, "Since you live right next door ta me, I think I can spare one of my boys to keep an eye out for ya throughout the day every day. Wouldn't want ya ta get hurt. Ya seem like a nice enough girl, too damn naïve though."

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, clearly not liking what he'd just told her.

"Well who are you to intimidate the Vipers?" she inquired.

"I'm Leon Anthony, leader of the Deuces," he informed her.

She gasped, her eyes growing wide again.

"I can't BELIEVE I moved in next door to a… a…" she stammered, clearly being quiet flustered.

"A gangster?" he questioned.

She gave a jerky nod and he just laughed.

"Like I said, the Deuces and the Vipers are COMPLETELY different guys. You're safe around me or my boys. If you wanna stay safe when you go out and about here in Sunset Park, you'd be wise ta let me know any time you plan on goin' out somewhere so I can have one of my boys look out for ya," he told her.

She nibbled at her bottom lip, seeming to be deep in thought for a few moments.

Finally, she nodded, replying, "All right. I'll be working at Willie's candy shop during the week, 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 at night. I usually go grocery shopping every other weekend on a Saturday. And I go to mass on Sunday. Other than that, I don't really know if I'll be going out a lot."

"Well whaddya do for fun?" Leon asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "You know… Stuff."

He just shook his head and chuckled.

"Well that's REALLY specific," he teased.

She shrugged her shoulders and he gestured with both hands around the room as he inquired, "You need help with any of this stuff?"

She shook her head and told him, "No. I'll get it. I've already had the movers get all the big stuff in here. Thanks for your help, Leon. I appreciate it. But I don't know if I'll need babysitters to walk me around town."

He threw his hands up in the air and commented, "Suit yourself. I'm next door when you come home cryin' 'cause Marco or one of his boys forces themselves onto ya."

She gasped, her eyes growing real wide, and she paled visibly even as she questioned, "They… They'd do that?"

"They've done worse," he answered, "But with looks like yours? Yeah. I could see it happenin'."

"Well I… I'll give you my schedule and let you know if anything changes," she was quick to say.

He nodded to her and she went to go grab a pencil and paper. She scribbled onto the paper while he waited. She carried the paper over to him and he glanced down at it, reading her neat, bubbly writing:

Sundays: Mass 9:00-10:00

Mondays: Work 9:00-5:00

Tuesdays: Work 9:00-5:00

Wednesdays: Work 9:00-5:00

Thursdays: Work 9:00-5:00

Fridays: Work 9:00-5:00

Every Other Saturday: Grocery Shopping 9:00-?

He nodded as he committed her schedule to his memory. So she'd need one of the boys to pick her up every morning at about 8:30 and take her wherever she wanted to go.

"Any time you wanna go out, you let me or somebody at my apartment know," Leon stated, "I live with my ma and my little brother. Ma's pretty forgetful. So just leave a note on the door or somethin' if I'm not there and Bobby's not in either."

She nodded to him and he gave her a smile.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Belladona Rosa," she replied, "But you can call me Bella."

His smile stretched wider and he nodded, folding her schedule up and fanning the air in front of him a bit, working his hand up and down as he said, "Well, Bella… It was nice seein' ya. I'll make sure ya get ta Mass tomorrow morning. Ma doesn't go anymore and Bobby's not so faithful in goin'. But I go every Sunday. So I'll walk with ya."

She gave a little smile and nodded in response, murmuring quietly, "Thank you. I'd appreciate it."

"And I don't think any of the boys would mind walkin' ya ta Willie's. We always hang out there," he informed her.

He saw her cock her head to one side and he laughed, turning and starting for the door.

"Oh! Leon?" she inquired.

"Yeah?" he said, stopping and turning halfway to meet her gaze.

"I um… I haven't been to Willie's yet so I don't really know where it's at. You wouldn't mind walking me, would you?" she questioned.

"Nah. Come on," he told her, waving his hand for her to follow him, "I was just gettin' ready ta head there myself."

_**~*Bella*~**_

Bella walked side by side with Leon as they headed down the sidewalk. He pointed out this building or that one, telling her what it was and who hung out there. She'd just listen and nod, trying to make sure she remembered what it was that he'd told her. The hardest part of moving to a new town was learning where everything was located, not to mention making new friends. He showed her where his favorite diner and the bank were. It honestly wasn't a very long walk to get to the candy shop.

When they got there, she discovered that a large group of young men were sitting around in the candy shop, some sitting at the counter on stools and others sitting at some of the tables that were scattered around the shop.

"WELL… Who's this?" one of the boys asked Leon, his eyes glued to Bella.

She crossed her arms over her chest and bit at the inside of her cheek nervously.

"EASY, boys," Leon teased lightly, "This is Bella. She moved into the apartment next door ta mine."

"'S that so?" another one of the boys questioned.

"Yeah. And she's new ta Brooklyn. So be nice. You boys are gonna help me make sure she gets ta work and back home safe every day, got it?" Leon told them all.

"You GOT it, boss," a third man piped up.

"And cool it with the starin' and droolin'. You're gonna make her nervous," Leon scolded.

They all nodded and Willie approached the counter, asking, "So you must be the girl I talked to on the phone about gettin' a job here?"

"Yeah, Willie. I walked your new girl here so she'd know where the place was," Leon told the man, "I was gonna head here anyway so I figured why not show her how ta get here."

"Is that so?" Willie asked.

Bella nodded and walked over to go speak with him.

"Is it usually this busy in here?" she questioned, glancing around at all the men that were in the shop.

There were probably 9 guys in their late teens or early 20s hanging out there in the shop and a boy that was probably only 11 or 12.

Willie nodded to her and told her, "Yeah. These boys are usually in here every day. They don't always buy something though. They just come here to hang out or watch a game most of the time. They might seem a little intimidating but they're good boys. They keep this neighborhood safe."

She nodded at that. That's what Leon had told her. It sounded more reassuring coming from someone else though. It backed up what he'd already said.

"There's almost always at least one of the guys here throughout the day. So you'll always be safe here," Willie told her, "We're only open from 9:00-5:00 and I'll be in here every day so you'll never hafta worry about bein' alone or havin' ta lock up the shop unless I hafta leave early or can't come in for some reason."

She nodded. That really calmed her nerves, knowing that there would always be someone there to protect her and that she wouldn't need to work by herself or lock up of a night.

"Do the Vipers ever come in here?" she couldn't help but ask.

Willie just laughed and shook his head hard, informing her, "Oh no, honey. Vipers don't cross over to the Deuces' territory unless they're just spoilin' for a fight. It's not often the two gangs are ever anywhere near each other except for the annual feast."

"The annual feast?" she questioned, her brows wrinkling in confusion.

"It's like a local carnival they throw every year," the man explained, "There are games, rides, food. All that good stuff."

She nodded. It sounded like fun.

"Hey, Willie! Mind if I introduce her ta the boys?" Leon called over to them.

"I don't care," Willie answered, "She's not workin' today so she can do whatever she wants."

Leon went over to stand behind the boy Bella had noticed in the shop, clapping his hands on the boy's shoulder. He had to only be about 11 or 12 and he definitely wasn't old enough to be one of Leon's boys.

"This here is Scooch," Leon informed Bella, "This little pain in the ass is always in and out of the shop here. I'm workin' on gettin' him ready ta play for the Dodgers when he's old enough."

The boy grinned and nodded up at Bella.

Bella smiled at both of them and said, "Well that's awful sweet of you, Leon."

"Hey now," Leon teased, pointing at her, "Men aren't sweet. We're vicious animals."

He laughed to let her know he was only teasing and all the boys laughed at him, taunting in girly voices, "Oh, Leon, you're so sweet!"

"Shut up!" he scolded, "All of ya!"

They just laughed harder and he chuckled some more, shaking his head at all of them.

Leon introduced her to all of the boys, starting with his brother, Bobby. Then there was his second in command, Tino. The rest of the boys he introduced her to were called Little Jack, Bennie, Georgie, Carlo, Chino, Danny Boy, and Joshie. She offered them each a nod and a smile as he introduced her to them.

"So who gets ta take her home?" Little Jack asked, waggling his brows at Leon.

Bella gasped, jerking her head back at the man's blatant insinuation and Leon was quick to scold, "No one's gonna TAKE her home, Little Jack. One of you is gonna WALK her to her apartment and then you're gonna behave yourself and leave. Got it? You're supposed ta PROTECT her, not molest her. And if I hear any of you knuckleheads have been harrassin' her, I'll crack your skulls open. Got it?"

Leon looked around at all the boys, catching each of their eyes.

Little Jack gave an immediate nod when Leon's eyes came to stop on him, sobering and replying, "Sure thing, Leon. No problem."

"And, since you asked, that's not gonna be you," Leon informed him, pointing at him.

Little Jack pouted and Bella didn't miss the way that all of the boys were watching her.

"Tino?" Leon asked.

"Yeah?" Tino questioned.

"You good ta walk her home?" Leon inquired.

"Yeah. I don't have anything ta do today," Tino replied with a nod.

"Then you're walkin' her home today, whenever she's ready ta go," Leon ordered.

"You got it," Tino commented, stuffing a cigarette in-between his lips and lighting it up.

Bella heard the front door open and every head in the shop turned to see who would come strolling into the shop. They all groaned when they saw that it was a blonde woman, her heels clacking on the floor as she made her way over to Leon.

"Shut up. All of ya," the blonde snapped at them as they sneered and made faces at them.

"Cut it out!" Leon barked at them, thought it only sounded half-hearted.

The blonde leaned up and stole a quick kiss before reaching into one of Leon's pockets to ease his pack of smokes out and snitch one.

Bella frowned. Did this Leon guy have a girlfriend?

"Where were you?" the blonde asked him as she gazed up at him and stuffed his cigarettes back into his pocket, her hand dangerously close to his crotch.

She fished into his other pocket to pull his lighter out and light her cigarette before she tucked it back into his pocket again.

"Where was I when?" Leon questioned.

"About an hour ago," she clarified.

"Well, I was runnin' about half an hour late gettin' here – I was takin' care of ma again – and then there was a new girl movin' in next door. She was strugglin' with a big, heavy box so I figured I'd pitch in and help her get it into her apartment. She didn't know how ta get ta Willie's so I walked her here. You know it's not safe for women ta be out in Sunset Park by themselves," Leon explained.

"Well… Aren't you just charming?" the blonde commented, sounding a little sarcastic.

Bella's brows wrinkled in confusion. Why would she be upset about Leon helping his mother or helping someone carry a box into their apartment? Not too many people would've been nice enough to pitch in and offer to help someone. He'd helped her a LOT today. Bella considered being helpful to be a great quality in a man.

"What's that supposed ta mean?" Leon asked, his own brows wrinkling in confusion and slight frustration as he gazed down at the blonde.

"You could've called here, ya know? Told Willie ta tell me that you'd be late. I waited half an hour, Leon. Then I got hungry and decided ta grab lunch by myself," she retorted, "Had I known you were gonna be so late, I would've left earlier. You're ALWAYS helpin' your mother, Leon. Ya never have time for anyone else. And ya just so happened ta decide ta pitch in help a girl that was movin' in next door ta you? You didn't even know her. Why would you do that?"

His brows furrowed even more and he questioned, "What? Are you… Jealous? Betsy, that's RIDICULOUS. I was just helpin' her move her stuff in. And it was only one box. The girl didn't even know that it wasn't safe ta be walkin' the streets of Brooklyn by herself. What was I supposed ta do? Let Marco or one of his boys get their filthy paws on her?"

The blonde didn't answer and Bella narrowed her eyes just slightly into a little glare.

"And as for me helpin' ma, you know how she is. She takes up more of my time than you'd think," Leon insisted, defending himself.

"Betsy," Bella heard a male voice say from right beside her, making her jump and give a tiny gasp as her hand went over her heart.

"What?" she asked, finding that Tino was now sitting right next to her, "That's Leon's girlfriend, Betsy. She's a real piece of work. She's not bad ta look at but she's not the best either. Her attitude's not worth a shit though. She keeps the shit up and Leon's gonna wind up findin' himself a NEW girl. She's always raggin' on him. Ya ask me, he's gettin' sick of her. If I was him, I'd be lookin' for a way out. And FAST."

"Well… If she's so… moody," Bella asked quietly, "Why does he stay with her?"

Tino shrugged his shoulders and said, "The sex must be GREAT. I'll tell ya one thing. I wouldn't stick around if a woman was always naggin' at me like that. No reason for makin' a man that miserable. She's always bitchin' about SOMETHIN'. She wants ta get married. Tell ya right now, she'll be lucky if he even takes her ta the feast. He's gettin' restless. He spends less and less time with her. Tell ya what I think. He'll be done with her in a couple weeks tops."

Bella was shocked by his words. So, apparently, this had been going on for a long time.

"Ya wanna know what makes things even worse?" Tino questioned.

"What's that?" Bella asked, glancing over at Tino.

He was actually pretty attractive himself. Granted, she thought Leon was more appealing to her taste in men. But Tino was at least unattached and he seemed friendly enough. Besides, if she could get more information on Leon and Betsy's current situation, she was all for talking with him.

"She used ta be one of Marco's whores," Tino answered.

Bella gasped and a few of the guys looked over at her, Leon being one of them. Betsy slit her brown eyes at Bella and Bella turned completely to face Tino, looking away from Betsy and her ugly scowl.

"By whore you mean –," Bella started to inquire.

"I mean she slept around a lot, dropped her panties faster than a hooker on a two-for-one Christmas Eve special. She was the town bicycle that gave everyone a ride. She spread her legs for every Tom, Dick, and Harry. However ya wanna put it," Tino elaborated.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Bella asked quietly.

"'Cause I wanna see my boy happy again. Hell we ALL do. Since he's been with Betsy, it's all gone to shit. She likes ta think that she's Queen B but she's just a royal bitch," Tino informed her, "Leon would be a HELL of a lot better off without that vindictive little blonde whore. She doesn't give a shit about him. The only thing she cares about is that he's been stickin' it to her since Marco's been in the pin for the past 3 years and he's the leader of a gang like Marco. She figures she's ridden her way clear up to the top of the chain and she can just start callin' shots. But it doesn't fuckin' work like that."

Bella gave another gasp, this one a bit quieter. Boy this guy didn't censor ANYTHING that came out of his mouth.

"You act so surprised," Tino teased lightly, "What? It's not like you're a virgin or anything."

She blushed 10 different shades of red and stammered, "Well I… I mean… I… You know… I just… Well I…"

Tino's brows hiked up his forehead and he leaned over to his in a whisper, "NO way?! No FUCKIN' way! You're a VIRGIN?!"

She blushed an even brighter shade of red and looked down at her lap, nodding slowly.

"Well I'll be damned. With looks like that, it's hard ta believe a man hasn't tried ta get up that skirt yet," Tino razzed her playfully, "I'm gonna hafta be sure I start carryin' a stick around so I can beat the guys away when they all come after ya, pantin' and droolin' and foamin' at the mouth."

Bella actually giggled at that.

"Oh I'm nothin' special," she murmured softly.

"The hell if you're not. Have you even looked in the mirror? You're a total fox!" he exclaimed.

She blushed again and replied, "Well thank you, Tino. That's very kind of you."

"I can see why Leon wants us ta look out for ya," Tino commented, "A girl as sweet and innocent as you with a hot little body like that? Yeah. Marco and his boys would be trippin' over themselves ta get at you. But you're safe with us, doll. Don't you worry about that. We'll take REAL good care of ya."

"Are you… FLIRTING with me?" she questioned, looking up into his hazel eyes.

He just gave her a cocky, crooked little smirk. It was quite a cheeky little smirk but it looked good on him. He looked deliciously handsome. But sinful too.

"You're DAMN right I am," he retorted, his smirk stretching wider, "Is it workin'?"

"You're one of THOSE boys, aren't you?" Bella inquired.

"What boys?" he asked her.

"You know. The ones that are tempting but troublesome. The ones that would get a girl like me into a LOT of trouble but make sure I enjoyed it all the while. The kind that would lead me down the slippery slope of sin if I dated them," she replied.

"Well in that case, yeah," he answered.

She laughed and shook her head, teasing, "Well I'd better stay away from you then. Maybe I'll use that stick on YOU."

He just chuckled and told her, "No can do, doll. I'm supposed ta protect ya from the big bad beasties out there, remember? Leon wouldn't have asked me if he didn't trust me."

She grew serious again and stated, "I know. And I appreciate you goin' out of your way to help me and keep me safe."

"Do you… appreciate it enough for a KISS?" he asked her, puckering his lips playfully and making a fish face.

She just giggled and put a hand in front of his face, gently pressing against it as she said, "Ew! No!"

He just laughed and sat up straight again.

"You oughta come out ta the pool sometime. Sunset Park has a nice one," Tino told her.

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded, replying, "Really really."

She giggled again and inquired, "Really really REALLY?"

They both laughed and Bobby piped up to holler, "All right! Enough!"

Bella froze, her eyes growing wide, before turning to look over at the younger Anthony boy.

All the boys in the shop started cackling, Tino included, and Bella looked back at Tino, asking, "What's so funny?"

"He was just teasin', Bella. God you should've seen the look on your FACE!" Tino razzed.

She pouted, her bottom lip poking out further than her top one, and Tino sobered.

"Oh now. None of that," he scolded gently, "That'll break a man's heart."

She just giggled and Bella heard Bobby ask his older brother, "Jeez, Leon. What kinda girl did ya bring in here? She's all grins and giggles. That's no fun."

All the guys laughed again and Betsy gave a "Hmph!" and stormed out of the shop.

"What's her problem?" Little Jack asked as she pushed the door open and stomped out.

"Yeah. What's got her panties in a twist?" Bennie chimed in.

"Oh HELL! I don't know," was Leon's response, "First she wants a fuckin' wedding ring then it's 'You're always avoiding me' then it's 'I don't wanna talk ta you, Leon!'. Hell if I know what crawled up her ass."

"Well it sure as hell wasn't your dick!" Chino teased.

Bella gasped, her chocolate-colored eyes growing real wide and Leon scolded, "Hey! Watch your fuckin' mouth. There's a lady here."

"Well tell her ta cover her ears or somethin'," Chino retorted, "You know how us boys talk."

"Yeah well… I don't want ya sayin' that shit around Bella. And I don't want ya talkin' ABOUT HER like that either," Leon commented before giving him a pointed glare to let him know that he was supposed to drop the subject.

_**-=Leon=-**_

When Bella stood up and announced to Tino that she was ready to go back home, Leon stood up and headed over to his second in command, clapping him on the shoulder and telling him, "I got it."

Tino just sat back down and nodded, his eyes meeting Leon's.

Leon looked over at Bella and told her, "I'll walk ya home."

She looked at first Tino and then Leon before nodding.

Leon started for the door and looked back at her. She was quick to follow him and he pushed the door open, holding it open for her to pass through ahead of him.

"So you and Betsy seemed ta be having a rough day," Bella said quietly.

"Ya noticed that, huh?" Leon questioned.

She just looked down at the ground, nodding silently.

"EVERY day seems ta be a rough day for me and Betsy," Leon commented as they walked along.

"I'm sorry to hear that you're havin' a rough time," she said, voicing her sympathy.

"Eh," he replied with a shrug, "Same shit, different day. It's got nothin' ta do with you."

She just looked away as she pointed out, "It didn't sound like it back there."

"So you caught that too, huh?" he questioned.

Again, she looked down and nodded.

"Well don't take it ta heart. Betsy tends ta bitch about EVERYTHING. The shit's gettin' old ta be honest. I don't know how much more of it I can handle," he told her honestly.

She peeked up at him, her brows wrinkled in confusion as she gazed up at him with those chocolate-colored eyes, and asked, "So why do you stay with her?"

He just shook his head and stated, "You wouldn't understand."

She looked away and nodded.

She was quiet after that. She didn't speak another word until he'd walked her clear to the door of her apartment.

"Bella –," Leon started to explain.

"It's okay, Leon," she interrupted him to say, "You don't hafta explain ANYTHING ta me. Like you said, I wouldn't understand. I'm just too naïve."

She unlocked her front door and stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her.

He knocked on the door and called, "Bella. Come on. I didn't mean it like that."

When he didn't get a response, he sighed and turned to head for his own apartment.

He fished into his pocket for the key and stuffed it into the lock, turning it only to discover that the door was already unlocked. Leon turned the knob and pushed the door open, giving a sigh when he found his mother slumped over the kitchen table, no doubt passed out drunk again.

He closed the door behind him and went over to pick up the empty bottle of red wine, tossing it into the trashcan. He heard her give a groan and it took every fiber in his body not to throw a sarcastic comment her way. She was always drunk since Allie Boy's death. She couldn't go ONE goddamn day without drinking herself into a drunken stupor anymore. All the money Leon and Bobby brought home might as well have just been handed right over to the clerk there at her favorite liquor store. Hell she even knew the bastard by his first name!

But Leon gave another sigh and reminded himself for the umpteenth time that she was his mother. She'd raised him and Bobby and had taken as good of care of them as she could up until Allie Boy's death. He loved her, despite it all. Despite the fact that he had to take care of her on a daily basis. Despite the fact that he had to come home to clean up after her. Despite the fact that he had to wash dishes at the diners he got food from every night to put food on the table for him, Bobby, and their mother because he'd run his credit up so high that the only way he was able to get food anymore was by pitching in and doing the dishes since he was wearing thin on good graces with the restaurant owners and their pity had long since run out. Despite the fact that she used EVERY last penny he and Bobby brought back home for her precious wine.

But something had to give. Something had to change. From now on, he'd start hiding the money better. He'd hide it in a place she'd never think to look for it or, better yet, he'd keep it on him at all times. From now on, he'd stop doting on her and start taking care of their family as a whole. She wasn't the only member of that family and Bobby had already had enough of the shit. Hell Bobby could never keep his mouth shut anymore whenever Leon wasn't around to chew his ass for spouting off to their mother or threatening to kick his ass if he ever spoke to her like that again. And just sitting back and letting her drink like a damn fish or taking care of her when she was in one these drunken states was only enabling her to continue the habit. From now on, their mother could fend for herself. She could get out and get a damn job instead of moping around all damn day and night like she'd taken to doing. Things were DEFINITELY going to change.

"Leon?" he heard his mother's sleepy, fatigued voice ask him, "Is that you?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"Has Allie come home yet?" she questioned.

"Allie's DEAD, ma," Leon reminded her, a little harsher than necessary.

She blinked and questioned, "What do you mean 'he's dead'? He came in here and kissed my forehead when you were out. He told me he'd be out for a bit but he'd be back."

Leon just shook his head and pointed out, "You're DRUNK, ma."

She looked around their surroundings at the kitchen.

"I should fix his favorite for supper tonight," she commented to herself as if he'd never spoken.

"We don't have anything in the damn cabinets, ma," Leon informed her.

"Oh SURE we do," she replied, pushing herself up onto shaky legs and staggering across the kitchen to start opening cabinets.

Normally, Leon would've rushed to help her, to support her, to make sure she wouldn't fall. But not tonight. Not this time.

She went through all the cabinets, only to find them empty. She tried the fridge and the icebox, only to find them bare too.

"Well we'll just have to go get some groceries," she said.

"With what, ma? We don't have any money, remember? You spent it all," he retorted.

She looked up at him then, actually looking at him for the first time since he'd come into the apartment.

"Why are you being so mean ta me, Leon?" she questioned.

"Mean? MEAN?" he exclaimed, "I'm keeping a fuckin' roof over our heads, ma! I bust my ass ta bring money back home and you just go right out and blow it all on booze! Ya lost your job. All ya do is sit around and drink all fuckin' day or sleep! Hell we wouldn't even still be livin' here if I didn't pay the bills and rent at the start of every month! You'd find the money if I didn't pay the bills and rent right away and you'd blow it all, like ya always do. You know I hafta wash dishes ta pay for our meals every fuckin' time I go ta get us food? I've kept my mouth shut for the past 3 years but I won't do it anymore. I'm done. I'm done sittin' around and allowin' ya ta drink yourself ta death. I'm done cleanin' up after ya when ya drink 'til ya make yourself sick. I'm done watchin' ya spend all our money on booze. You can shape your ass up or I'll check ya into a rehabilitation center."

She gasped, her dark eyes growing real wide, and he turned and yanked the front door open, slamming it behind him.

He couldn't BELIEVE he'd just said that to his mother! He turned around and punched the wall, shouting, "FUCK!"

He heard a door open and turned around to find Bella peeking out of it. He was fuming, his chest heaving with every breath he took.

"Leon? Are you o–," she started to ask.

"Whatta you care?" he snarled before turning and jogging down the stairs.

He needed to get out of there. He needed to get the HELL out before he did something stupid.

When Leon returned to the apartment later that night, he froze outside the door, hearing his mother laughing. She hadn't laughed for the past 3 years!

He pressed his ear to the door and listened closely.

"Oh yes!" he heard her say, "This is my Leon's favorite. He's gonna LOVE it when he comes home to find that I made it for him."

"What's goin' on?" he heard Bobby ask him.

"Shh!" he hissed quietly, shooting a glare at his younger brother.

Bobby remained quiet and Leon heard a second voice reply to his mother, "Well I'm glad that I could help, Mrs. Anthony."

He recognized that voice. That was BELLA'S voice.

He jerked his head back from the door and stared at the door, his brows wrinkling in confusion. What the hell was Bella doing in his apartment, cooking with his mother?

"Is someone in there?" Bobby asked, his hands clenching into fists.

"Yeah," Leon answered, "BELLA'S in there. And she's helpin' ma cook."

"She's WHAT?" Bobby questioned, clearly just as confused as Leon was.

Leon turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, stepping into the apartment.

Bobby followed after him and closed the door behind them. Both boys found Bella setting the kitchen table while their mother poured glasses full of what looked like sweet tea.

"You boys are just in time," their mother announced, smiling at both of them.

Both brothers looked at each other, their jaws falling open and their eyes growing wide, before returning their attention to their mother.

"Well, go ahead and grab yourselves a plate. Bella helped me fix lasagna, breadsticks, and something she calls 'wilted lettuce'. It's got vinegar, sugar, diced onions, and bits of fried bacon in it," she explained.

They weren't ABOUT to pass that up. Hell it was the first home-cooked meal they'd had in 3 fucking YEARS! They both grabbed their plates and Leon scolded Bobby when he went right over to start helping himself.

"Cut that shit out! Let the women get theirs first. You know the rules," Leon reprimanded.

Bobby pouted but scraped the salad off of his plate and back into the bowl.

Leon gestured for Bella to go first. She smiled to him and nodded, going over to fix her plate. Their mother helped herself next. Then Leon let Bobby go before he took some of the food himself. They all sat down at the table together and Bella offered Leon another smile. What the hell was going ON? He'd snapped at his mother AND Bella before leaving the apartment complex. And now they were being nice to him? They were fixing him a MEAL? Hell this was the first damn meal his mother had made since Allie Boy's death. Any time she tried to cook, she'd always tried to fix Allie Boy's favorite and then she'd started to cry and reached for the bottle again, giving up on her half-hearted attempt at cooking. Was this some kind of trap? Would it bite him in the ass? Then he realized he didn't really care. He was going to enjoy this moment while it lasted.

They all made small talk while they ate. When they were finished, Bobby excused himself. Their mother put the leftovers away and then patted Leon on the cheek, smiling at first him and then Bella.

"I'm gonna leave you kids alone so you can talk. Thanks again, Bella. I'm glad you came over, sweetie. She's such a sweetheart, Leon. You really oughta invite her over more often," Leon's mother told him before excusing herself.

Leon just watched her go, his brows rising, before he turned to look back at Bella.

"I heard you yelling at her," Bella explained, "You really shouldn't be so harsh on her, Leon. Be thankful for what you HAVE instead of dwelling on what you DON'T have."

Leon narrowed his eyes at the brunette and retorted, "Yeah well… You have NO idea what the past 3 years have been like for us. That's the FIRST time I've ever raised my voice ta our ma."

"She seems like a sweet enough woman," Bella commented absently as she worked on washing the dishes and rinsing them off while Leon dried them and put them away.

"She's not always so 'sweet'," he replied.

"At least you HAVE a mother, Leon. We're not all so fortunate," Bella informed him, "You wanna know why I moved out here all alone? My family was killed back in Boston. I wanted ta get away from all the crime, all the violence, all the gangs. I thought Brooklyn might be a safer bet. And when I saw the name 'Sunset Park'… It just sounded too good to be true."

Leon's jaw fell open. He had NO idea she'd been through so much!

"I'm sorry," he was quick to apologize.

She looked down, concentrating on washing the dishes. She was silent for a long time before she finally spoke again.

"So yeah. I might be naïve but it's because I'd like ta hope there's a little bit of good in EVERYBODY. Because it beats knowing that there are some real bad people out there that would do anything for drugs or money," she murmured quietly, "You oughta be nicer to your mother, Leon. One day she won't be here."

Leon just looked down into the soapy water in the sink and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Who knew such a sweet, innocent girl would be giving him a life lesson on the brutalities of the world? Brutalities that he already knew all too well existed in that very neighborhood.

**Lyrics from:**

_Drive_ by Incubus

**Well… What did you think? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Shoot me a message or a review and let me know what your thoughts were. I'd GREATLY appreciate it.**


End file.
